Cut-off mechanism.



M. B. LLOYD.

GUT-OFF MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED APR.15. 19'12.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

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GUT-OFF MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR.15, 1912.

1,124,76Q, Patented Jan.12,1915.

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M. B. LLOYD.

CUT-OPP MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED APR.15, 1912.

Patented J an. 12, 1915.

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M. B. LLOYD. I

GUT-OPP MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED APR-15. 1912 1,124,762. Patehted Jan. 12, 1915.

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Jive/2 APPLICATION FILED APR.15, 1912.

M. B. LLOYD.

GUT-OFF MECHANISM.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

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APPLICATION FILED APR.15. 1912.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

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l. l'llgx I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARSHALL BURNS nnovn, OF'MENOMINEE, MICHIGAN, AssIonon, BY-imsim ASSIGN- mnnrs, TO THE EL'YRIA man & STEEL COMPANY, on ELYRIA, OHIO, A comm- TION OF OHIO.

CUT-OFF MECHANISM.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

Original application filed July 12, 1911, Serial No. 638,203; Divided and this application filed April 16, 1912. Serial No. 690,936.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that ILMARSHALL BURNS LLOYD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident'of Menominee, Menominee county, Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cut-Off Mechanism for Machines for Manufacturing Metal Tubes, of which the following is a specification. a

My invention relates generally to machines for manufacturing such metal articles as tubing,- and has particular reference to an improved mechanism for measuring and cutting off metal tubing.

The object of my invention is to. provide a mechanism which shall be adapted to measure and cut off metal tubing, and particularly thin-walled metal tubing, more rapidly, more perfectly, more economically and with much less manual labor than has been possible hitherto,

A special object of my. invention is to provide a measuring and cutting off mechanism which shall be adapted to receive tubing from a continuous tube-forming, shaping or welding mechanism and reduce the tubing to pieces of definite ascertained lengths without manual handling or intervention, and

without hindering the operation of such mechanism or stopping the movement of the tubing. I

This present application is a division of my application filed July 12, 1911, Serial No. 638,203, entitled Continuous-Tube Mill, ngw Patent No. 1,027,865, granted May 28, 1 12.

My invention consists generally in mecha-. nism for imparting longitudinal movement to the tubing or other article to be cut, in combination with a cut-off device positioned at one point in the path of the tubing or article, means for measuring or determining the length of successive end portions of he tubing or article as it emerges from the:

mechanism which imparts movement to it, and means operatively joiningsaid' measuringmeans and cut-off device and adapted'to first cause the movement of the cut-off device in'consonance with the tubing or article, and to then cause said deviceto sever the tubing or article without at any time interrupting the movement of the tubing 01' article. i

My'inventi'on also comprises various novelv constructions and combinations of parts, all as hereinafter described, and particularly polnted out in the appended claims.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying draw ngs, forming part of this specification, and in'which: I

Figure 1 is a partial side elevation of a; continuous tube mill equipped witha cut- 01f mechanism embodying my invention; Fig. 2' is a plan view thereof; Fig 3 is an enlarged plan view of the measuring and cut-" ting ofi mechanism; Fi 4 isa vertical, longitudinal section on t e line 4-4 of Fig.

3, enlarged, showing details of the measuring and out-off mechanisms; Fi 5 is an enlarged transverse vertical section on the line 5-5 of'Fig; 3'; Fig.1) is a still further enlarged. sectional detail (if the ,cut-ofi mechanism, the section being taken on the line 66 of Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a similar view on the line 7--7 of Fig. 3; Fig. '8" is an end view of the adjustable gage of the cut-off mechanism as seen from the line 8 8fof Fig. 4; Fig. 9 is a like end view of the tube-supportin arm adjacent .to the gage, as seen 0 from t eline 99 of Fig. 4:; Fig. 10 is a side view of the cut-off mechanism, disclosing the parts which operate the tube clamps; and'Fi 11 is an enlarged plan view of the parts s own in 'Fig. 10, 7

The complete apparatus, or mechanisms, herein partially illustrated is a continuous tube mill, shown and described in' my said Patent- No 1,027,865. f. a i

This present invention isin no 9o ited' to the precise machine herein "illustrated, for it may readily be modified and ada ted to other uses by o'ne'who is skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appendr m In' the drawings Z represents a strong table orbenoh which supports the several operatin parts of the machine. At' one end oft "s bench is a' continuous vise or 100, draft mechanism E' adapted to receive tub Y ing'fro'm any suitable source of supply,sucli eutting'o mechanism, Next tofth e' draft mechanism-is the cut-ofi' meehanism'GI- At anism is a suitably siibported adjustitble.

- measuring or gage mechanism H, connected with the cut-off mechanism in the manner hereinafter described.

The worlcingparts and faces of the several mechanisms on the bench are prefer- .ably arranged in longitudinal working alinement, and any given piece or length of tubing material which occupies these parts of the machine, considered from end to end thereof, is held in straight line, non-dis torted condition, while it (such piece or length) is being acted upon by the mechanisms E and Ur. I

Preferably the .tubing is fed to the cutoff device by a vise-like continuous propelling mechanism which comprises two opposed gripping portions E Etdivided into and composed of pairs of sectionsor. jaws 'E which move successively into almement 20 with and automatically clamp the tubing to propel it forward through the cut-off mechanism. The jaws are automatically closedupon the tube by mechanism which causes them to exertv a clamping pressure upon the Y tubing. In this machine the pressure mechanism comprises two parallel bars or guide members E 9 lying parallel with the upper side of the'moving chains and forming a groove or-channel through which the jaw sections travel in succession. The for- Ward ends E of these pressure guides are flared. or arranged as'cams so that as the jaws rise upward and enter the forward end of the channel they are caused togradually.

move towardeach other and into clamping engagement with the tube, in which condition they, are maintained until they/ reach a. spreader at. the opposite end of thechannel. 'The opposite ends E of the .guide.

members are also flared or cut away so as -to allow the jaws to open as the spreadgr enters between them. The guide members are mountedupon the bed plate E of the machine. o I

The vise derives 1ts power; from the rear I shaft E on which the rear sprockets E are mountedand through the medium of a train of speed. reducing gears driven from any suitable sourcefofpower.

The particular invention disclosed and claimed in this present application-lies'in the cutting and measuring mechanisms and ously moved forwardIin-to operative relation to and with said mechanisms. "V":

The cuttingof the tubing into lengths is anessential part ofthe process of continuously manufacturing such articlesasfltubing, and I accomplish' this by-the mechanisms G andH which. automatically meas ure the tubing and out oh the measured 'by the measuring device H lengths while the tubing is in movement and without interrupting the continuous operation of the vise or of other parts of the machine with which the vise may be associated.

For this purpose I provide a gage H which, when the proper length'of tubing is formed, automatically acts in conjunction with the traveling vise to put the cuttingmechanism into operation and both move w1th the tubtube speed until it sevcrs the length meas ured off by thegage, automatically releases its hold upon and discharges the tubing and finally returns-to its normal condition ready for the next operation. The gage H when set, marks the outer end measuring point and the cutter G marks the inner end measuringpoint upon the tubing.

The cutter G is mounted upon a horizontal shaft or saw arbor G which is carried in bearings on the upper end of a swing frame G. This frame is strengthened by cross bars G and is adapted .to be swung,

transversely of the bed of the machine and thereby carry the saw through the path of the moving tubing to sever it.- The spiral spring G serves to return thecutter frame after it has been swung to out the tubing. The cutter shaft Gr is adapted to slide longitudinallythrough its bearings and 1 con- .nect it with the carriage Gr for causing the cutter with its "arbor to move bodily with the movingtubing while the tubing is being severed by the cutter. The swing frame ,G is mounted to swing upon a shaft fg as upon a hinge.

This shaft fg is parallel with the shaft G and is carried in suitable bearings bolted-to the bed Z of the machine. The shaft fg may be driven from any suitable source of power, such as the electric motor FG which is bolted thereto. The shaft fg carries a wide pulley G and the cutter shaft is driven by a belt G running over a flanged pulley G. I

The motions of the cutter are controlled by the tubing and the measuring gage H through the medium of mechanism now to be described.

A stationary table G on brackets G supports a sliding carriage G movable parallel with the tubing. :The carriage after operation is retracted by a weight G connected thereto by cable G" passing over pulley G. The tube clamps are mounted on the carriage in the path of the tubing as' it is. propelled'by the vise. Each clamp comprises'a movable jaw G and a fixed jaw G the former arranged for operation The cutter works in the gap between the clamps. The

upper j'a'ws G are operated. in unison by 1% camshei s W by strep Ci? fine ,of. J3me is a y trigger P se me -s G nd rank; having an ad itional em (it wh ch ca rise a trigger G? e cable with a pro.-

jection it? on the tab e n one .direc t'ion the trigger is lnnlte b, a stop shouL det G on the bell crank an when the car? ria begins to move forward the tri ge r S $8 the stationary pro ection G an or crates the cam shaf an clamps to connect the carriage to the tube. In return ng, the

' freely over the projection G.

clamps are released at the end of the forward movement, a r the cuttlng' opera tion, by the enfiiigement of a rod G wh ch is secured y to the strap or link G with an arm G3? upstanding from the stationa'ry tab e, wh o gem u s i gs t of the clamps in t e opposite direct on to open the clamps. Thetravehngmotlon of the cutter is brought about byn eans of a lateral arm or extension 5G rig dly cured to the carriage G and movable w th it. The free end of this arm has a slotted connection with the cutter shaft G- and 0 crates between a set collar G and t e flangedlpulley G both fixed on the shaft G", This moves the cutter in unison with 'the. carriage G The slotted connection per-- mits the transverse movement of the cutter.

For causing the transverse or swing mo;. tion of the frame G and cutter, I provide a. transversely sl-idable bar G. mount d in guides beneath the table and having a depending lug G3? which constitutes the ful-' pram for a latch bar G extending through the upper portion of the swinging cutter frame and having a hooked end G? for engagm'ent with a latch G? on the swinging,

cutter frame shown in Fig. 6. The latch bar G" is held in position (shown in Flg. (l) by a spring between its short arm and the bar Ga 4 The bar G slides in guides on the bottom of the'table Gl". Sliding movement is imparted by a bell crank G-tpiv'oted on the ta-- le G Its arm G359 is connected by a slot and pin connectionlto the carriage G" for 0 oration by its movement. The bell crank G operates the bar Gr through link G" and post G. The link G" has an ad'ustable or variable throw connection wi the bell crank G", as shown in Fig. 11. For: ward movement of the carriage G causes the bar G? to move the swinging cutter :frame toward the tubing to sever the tubing. The final movement of the bars G and G32 releases the cutter frame through the striking of an adjustable cam projection G? on the bar G"; against the; table G, and retracts the hook Gil from -engagement with the swingi g. frame. 'Ehe'cutterffame 1s thereupon returned by the spun GP before meanness. As reviousl eta i. the cutter I rks the inner and. measuring point of the me, and as the carriage always moves with the cutter it may be employed to operatively Join the gage H and the cutter. The connection comprises a rod cross arm, adjustable on the rod, as required to measure and determine the length of succeeding tubes.

One or more supports or guides H are used to sustain the tube in its travel. These supports are stationary. They serve to direst the end ofth'e tubing against the gage. Whenever this happens, the gage will be thrust forward, and thls movement being communicated to the carriage G through the rod H the carriage will be clamped to the tubing and the tublng will be severed by the cutter as before explained. The inner end of the rod H has a rocker mm H. which in'the final forward movement ofthe rod and carriage rides upon a stationary cam H. This action rotates the rod H and removes the gage H from the end of the severed tube, freeing both the tube and cutter carriage, whereupon the carriage and the red are retracted by the weight G acting H rotatively through the. cable G 4 before described;

preferably weld or otherwise connect the formed tu-bin end to end in continuing series and there y in effect maintain a continuous source of supply of finished tube and consequently the resultant waste due to the production ofpieces shorter than desired is eliminated.

While the machine herein illustrated is constructed to produce tubing in desired lengths, I wish it to be understood that my invention is adapted to the production of similar or different metal articles, Indeed, various modifications of my invention and various combinations and uses of the mechanis'ni here-in described, all within the scope of myinventiom'will readily suggest themselves to one who is skilled in the-art.

Havingthus described my invention, I

claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters nation with a clamping device for firmly gripping said article, said clamping device being operated by the moving article, cutoff mechanism adapted to sever said article, and a gage adapted to measure the lengths to be cut and to actuate said clamping and cut-ofi' mechanism, all during the movement of the article.

2. A'machine of the class described comprising means for moving an article of indefinite length continuously forward, an end-length cut-ofi mechanism, a' measuring device and a clamping and holding device, all adapted to be periodically moved by and to move with the article and periodically cut predetermined end-lengths from the end thereof, and automatic meansfor controlling the return 'of said parts to normal position after each cutting operation.

3. A machine for cutting tubing and the like into predetermined lengths, comprising an endless rotary vise having anelongated working stretch adapted to grasp and longitudinally propel the tubing, a movable gage disposed in line with said working stretch to be struck by the end of the tubing deliv;v ered by said vise, a cut-off device member upon which said device is operatively mounted, means through the medium of which the movement of said gage by the tubing is communicated to said member to move the same and the cutter in unison with the tubing and suitable means for actuating said cutter during the movement of said member, sub

stantially as described."

4. A continuous mill adapted to convertsubstantially continuous tubular metal stock:

into tubes of respectively definite lengths, comprising means for moving the stock in combination with a measuring mechanism,

a cut-off device and means controlled by said measuring mechanism and causing said cut-ofl" device to clamp thestock, move with and sever successive end, portions of the stock at intervals and in lengths determined by said measuring mechanism.

5. In a device of the class described, means for steadily moving an article of indefinite length forward, in combination with auto matic cut-ofl mechanism for cutting succes sive end lengths from said article without interruption in the movement thereof, said mechanism comprising a movable carriage, a

.. member connected thereto and arranged in the path of the article, the article engaging same and thereby moving the carriage, and mechanism operable by movement of the carriage to move a cutter longitudinally with and transversely into the tube.

6. In a device of the class described, means for projecting an article of indefinite length, 1n combination with mechanism for automatlcally cuttmg successive end lengths from the article, said mechanism comprising a article, clamping mechanism mounted on the movable carriage, a draw rod attached to the carriage extending therefrom into the path of the article to be cut, said carriage being moved forward at tube-speed when the article engagesthe draw rod, and mechanism operated by the forward movement of the draw rod to clamp the article to be cut.

8. In mechanism of the class described, means for moving an article forward, a movable carriage arranged in the path of the article, clamping mechanism mounted on the movable carriage, a draw rod attached to the carriage extending therefrom into the path of the article to be cut, said carriage being moved forward at tube-speed when the article engagesthe draw rod, mechanism operated by the forward movement of the draw rod to clamp the article to be cut, and mechanism operating to .release the clamps after the cutting of the tube.

9. In mechanism of the class described, means for moving an article forward, a movable carriage arranged in the path of the article, clamping mechanism mounted on the movable carriage, a draw rod attached to the carriage extending therefrom into the path of the article to be out, said carriage being moved forward at tube-speed when the article engages the draw rod, mechanism operated by the forward movement of the draw rod to clamp the article to be cut, a cutting member mounted for longitudinal and transverse movement, and means operated by the movement of the carriage to cause longitudinal and transverse movement of the cutting member.

10. A machine for cutting tubing and the like into predetermined lengths, comprising mechanism for propelling tubing, a movable carriage, tubeclamping mechanism arranged on the carriage in line with the tubing, a draw rod attached to the carriage and extending forward in the path of the tube to be struck thereby to cause forward movement of the carriage, and mechanism operated by the forward movement of the carriage to clamp the tube in combination with a cutting member arranged for longitudinal and transverse movement, mechanism 'opermy hand, this 5th day of April, 1912 in izble bydmofemgnt of the carriage to cfause the presence of two subscribing w1tnesses.;

ongitu ina an transverse movemento the cutting member; and means for returning MARSHALL BURNS LLOYD 5 the carriagev and cutting member to initial Witnesses:

position after the cuttinf operation. CHARLES GILBERT Hawmr,

In testimony whereof, have hereunto set C. O. Pon'rmrmn. 

